Motion: ‘That the correspondence inward be accepted and the outwards be approved.’

Moved: M Muntz, seconded B Leaf Carried

7. Rector’s Report:

The past month has been fairly quiet with smaller congregations and fewer ‘special’ events. The colder weather and shorter days make church attendance hard for some, and others head for warmer climates each winter.

Services: One baptism at Holy Trinity and two graveside funerals, one at each at Nathalia and Numurkah.

Synod: A report is attached. It was a productive Synod, with much good news about the diocesan schools and important legislation about incorporation was passed.

St Paul’s Wakiti Creek: The new keyboard was used at services this month and was most successful. Sincere thanks to Wally Lord for donating it, and to Joan Harding for playing. It is proposed that a service of Morning Prayer be held at St Paul’s on Wed 15th July at 11am so that Wally can play, and hear, the keyboard in the church. A luncheon will follow. Anyone is invited to this special service.

All Saints Barmah: There was no service of Holy Communion this month, due to ill health, but the Mothers’ Union Service and Quiet Day went well.

The Registrar Tim Williams has accepted our invitation to meet with us and will come on Sunday 12 July to the service at St George’s and stay on for a luncheon and meeting with the Parish Council. My hope is that Tim can clarify for us what options there are given our difficult financial situation, and what role the diocese plays in the event of our being unable to meet the assessments. It would be good if we could formulate the questions we wish to ask at this council meeting, so they can be forwarded to the Registrar prior to the meeting with him. This gives him time to prepare and if necessary research answers.

Home communions and services at Karinya, Pioneers Lodge, Banawah and Barwo Homestead continue.

The Pastoral Friendship Network continues to provide really helpful communication and information within the parish, and to me, with regards how people are travelling. We cannot overestimate the importance of ‘keeping in touch’- it is what builds a strong and resilient community, nurtures belonging and strengthens friendships. It also alerts us to those who need prayer or a pastoral visit.

Diocesan: There have been a few meetings this month that have required me to go to Wangaratta, Benalla, Cobram and Wodonga. As I take over the role of ‘Director of Vocations’, in 2016, there have been meetings with Revd. Canon Lyall Turley to prepare me for the handover and bring me up to date about the process and potential candidates, as well as training days with current ordinands and meetings to prepare for these training days. I expect things will settle down a bit when the processes and training curriculum are in place.

As always I am very mindful and appreciative of all the work people do to ensure worship and everything else goes as well as it can. We are very blessed in this parish because we work together well and we cheerfully and willingly support each other. When people are away, we notice. If they’re unwell, we are concerned. If they’re on holidays, or with family, we wish them the very best of times. But whatever the reason for their absence from us – we miss them. That’s an indication of a caring community.

May God continue to bless us and guide us as we navigate the uncertainties of the future together and enjoy the experiences of the present.

SYNOD REPORT – 2015

At the Synod Eucharist, Rev’d Professor Dorothy Lee, Warden at Trinity Theological College, was commissioned as Canon Theological to the Diocese of Wangaratta. Dr Lee, a renowned and well respected New Testament scholar gave the sermon on the Trinity Sunday readings, particularly the gospel.

Rev’d Lyell Turley was inducted as Clerical Canon Emeritus of the Cathedral.

During the course of Synod, reports were tabled and spoken to by all three Anglican Schools and by the Diocesan Retirement Villages.

The schools all reported renewed energy and growth as a result of their union into the Anglican Schools Commission. Each school had received a development grant to do major and minor works and all were much encouraged by this support and by belonging to an education commission that is financially solid. The ASC actively espouses and requires a strong Anglican identity in member schools and expects that Gospel teaching and values will occur. Cobram Anglican Grammar, Cathedral College Wangaratta and Trinity Anglican College Albury/Wodonga all have increasing enrolments.

St John’s Village in Wangaratta has just undertaken major refurbishments including a new building, in line with changing regulations around aged care facilities. Kellock Lodge in Alexandra is also looking to upgrade facilities and has the financial capacity to do so. St Matthew’s Village, Broadford also tabled a report.

Amongst the other reports (including an excellent one on Mothers Union from Mary Muntz) was the final one from Anglican Women of Australia, Wangaratta Diocese, who made the decision to disband identifying ‘lack of interest, the ageing population and also travel’ as the causes.

Synod heard from Rev’d John Dean, chair of ABM, who gave us a snapshot in photos of the areas in which ABM work. Questions asked were answered. Nepal? No easy access for ABM, so divert donations through and ‘on the ground’ agency. Australian missions? Focusing now on reconciliation rather than projects and working to strengthen NATSIAC, so that there will be feedback to initiate any projects undertaken in the future. Good Friday appeal for Jerusalem church? Monies shared with Egypt, Cyprus and Iran, the latter church being almost defunct with only one bishop and one member of clergy.

Clare Sargent, the Professional Standards Director for our Diocese, spoke about the protocols for dealing with complaints about church workers or clergy. There is a very considered series of processes that ensure complaints are dealt with impartially and justly and that accountability, protection and transparency are embedded in the process at each step. A record must be kept of all complaints and correspondence etc. pertaining to them, that come to the incumbent (or warden) and they must be kept separate. i.e. Completely secure, locked and confidential. Within a parish, the incumbent is usually the first to be approached with a complaint against a church worker. Complaints about clergy could go through a church warden to an archdeacon, perhaps, or directly to the Director of Professional Standards.

Anglicare Hume didn’t receive funding this year for ‘Loaves and Fishes’ and, like most aid agencies, is unable to offer as much help as in the past. The Bishop launched his Winter Appeal for Anglicare, nominating Sunday 21 June as

‘Soup Sunday’, and encouraging parishes to support this appeal.

Susan Benedyka is a facilitator/consultant engaged by the Diocese to help us formulate a Strategic Plan. She had addressed a number of diocesan bodies including Bishop-in-Council and will go around to each of the deaneries to gather further input. At Synod, Susan convened a whole-Synod gathering after lunch on Saturday and members discussed and brain-stormed questions of what the mission statement of the church should be, what a strategic plan should be and what the hoped outcomes were for Synod. The answers given by table groups were very similar in their recognition of urgency and hope for practical, visionary ‘steps to follow’. There was a unity of purpose and some energy about the Strategic Plan and when it is complete, parishes will be given copies to study and work from. Issues raised were: ‘The way we’ve traditionally done church no longer works’. There are no ‘get church quick’ schemes. There are inherent dangers in parochialism – it can become exclusive and efforts are more about maintenance of the status quo than a vision of the church. The term ‘Anglican’ is more a sign of affiliation than a symbol of vision and purpose. Each parish must develop its own mission and purpose. A large proportion of our communities are ‘unchurched’. There are issues in rural centres and smaller congregations need to be freed from the prevailing culture of what constitutes ‘success’. Not ‘how do we bring them in? But ‘How do we send them out?’ What’s God up to and how do we get on board? Not ‘how do we survive?’ but ‘how do we serve?’ Consciously develop diverse and healthy parishes. The Bishop encouraged parishes to use the Discipleship Prayer (APBA p. 210) over the coming months.

Synod Business:

Rev’d Peter Tinney and Margaret Brickhill were elected to Bishop-in-Council.

The Registry staff will move their offices to St John’s Village later this year. There will still be a meeting room at Purbrick Hall set aside for use by the Bishop and for other occasional meetings.

Synod voted to enable The Diocese to become an incorporated body. This ensures that the Bishop and Bishop-in-Council members are protected from personal liability for work care or other claims and provides a recognizable church entity for survivors of child abuse to direct claims to.

The Parish financial year now ends on 30 September. 2015 will be a 9 month financial year. AGMs for congregations and parishes, and election of Parish Council members, will occur October – November, prior to the end of the Church’s Year.

Chancellor Clyde Croft has done considerable work to modernize, simplify and clarify the Standing Orders of Synod so that it is easier for new Synod members. Synod was very grateful for this and readily accepted the new Standing Orders.

Synod agreed to delete clause 30A from the Parish Administration Act, as it was felt that trusting the discretion of the Bishop in terms of suitable parish appointments was preferable.

The Synod was an enjoyable and productive time and there was certainly an air of hopeful optimism which was not evident last year. There is no doubt the Diocese is in a better place financially and a great deal of stress and anxiety was relieved by the acquisition of the diocesan schools by ASC. Synod approving Incorporation eased another burden of worry and there was light-hearted entertainment at the Synod dinner, including a number from Bp John.